Ranking the 5 best Real Madrid attackers of the 21st century

#3 Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema is on a tear for Real Madrid this season.

Karim Benzema is one of the most successful attackers to have played for Real Madrid over the years.

The 33-year-old largely lived in the shadow of his illustrious former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo (more on him later) for over a decade.

However, since Ronaldo's departure in the summer of 2018, Benzema has stepped things up a notch. He has scored at least 20 goals in each of his next three La Liga campaigns.

Continuing to age like fine wine, Benzema is on a tear this season, bagging nine goals and seven assists in only eight league games. He has also opened his account in the Champions League, becoming the first player to score in 17 consecutive seasons in the competition.

Having arrived at Madrid in the summer of 2009, the French striker (289) is closing in on 300 goals for the club. The four-time Champions League winner has also racked up an impressive 151 assists during this period.

#2 Raul Gonzalez

Raul Gonzalez is one of only two players to have scored over 300 goals for Real Madrid.

The 44-year-old bagged a rich haul of 323 goals in 16 seasons at the club, a record tally for Madrid when he left them in 2010.

The six-time La Liga winner scored 220 league goals for the Merengues, netting at least five times in each of his 16 campaigns in the competition.

Raul largely played as a centre-forward or second striker for most of his Real Madrid career. It was only towards the end of his stint at the club that he played a few games in midfield.

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is Real Madrid's all-time top scorer.

Well, Cristiano Ronaldo needs little introduction. Widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the game, Ronaldo racked up a staggering tally of exactly 450 goals in only nine seasons at Real Madrid.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is a bonafide Real Madrid legend, ahead of the club's second-highest top scorer (Raul) by a proverbial country mile.

During his near decade-long stint at Madrid, the attacker played a key role in the Merengues' resurgence as a European powerhouse.

The five-time Champions League winner's staggering exploits at Real Madrid are such that they could possibly stand the test of time.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Arjun Panchadar